A Blue Bird's Flight
by zucchero.de.neve
Summary: What if Ella had never gone to the ball? What if she had left everything behind? And what if she learns a dark secret that changes everything? Disclaimer: I don't own Cinderella


The carriage wheels threw dust towards Ella's tear streaked face. Her stepmother's and stepsister's cruel laughter disappeared in the distance, but echoed in Ella's mind for a long time, belittling her even from afar. Ella stood there, in the entrance of her stolen home, for a long time, as if her heart couldn't quite comprehend what had happened. She had been happy for a few days, full of dreams and hope and naïve joy, as she had worked on her mother's dress with such love and sweet devotion she had transformed the old thing into a garment fit for a prince's ball. At least that's how it had looked in her eyes. Now all her dreams lay in shambles, and the joyful light in her eyes had dimmed away as quickly as the sun's rays hide behind grey, thunderous clouds. She hugged her dress fiercely, her mother's beloved, torn dress, a depiction of her life right now. However, although tears streamed down her face like quiet streams, anger seeped into her bones stronger than her despair.

Her mother had taught her to be gentle and kind to all, no matter the class, be it animal, plant, or human. But she had forgotten to teach her the most important lesson of all: she had forgotten to teach her to be kind to herself.

 _Well_ , Ella thought, fists so tight with emotion she could feel the skin stretching over her knuckles, _no more_.

With quiet but firm determination she marched into her home, her small furry mice friends following closely behind concerned but curious. She went into the kitchen and studied the room until she found what she was looking for: a sac filled with apples. She didn't own a travelling case, not even a suitable bag where she could stuff her things, so this would have to do. The sudden realization that this would be her traveling bag when her stepmother had sold so many of her childhood things to buy Anastasia and Drisella a beautiful trunk made of mahogany, one each, increased her anger, making her boil from the inside, like a quiet volcano about to explode in a show of a fiery hell.

Ella shook the sac upside down to empty it of its contents, apples rolling in every direction, and marched up the spirally staircase into her room. She wouldn't be taking much, only the most necessary and important things. In the end she only took one extra dress, a coat, some money her father had once given her, and the few pieces of jewelry she had hidden well from her step family. Satisfied with her choice, she went down the staircase and out of the house, not even stopping to look around one last time at the place she had loved so much that she had been willing to endure years of humiliation for it. She didn't want to have the time for sentiments or she would never do what she knew had to be done.

"No more," she whispered fiercely.

Each step filled her with renewed determination, not even the prince with his silly ball would be able to stop her now. She went around the house towards the corral, and at the sight of her, the geese honked joyfully at her and flapped their wings, recognizing the only person in this cursed place that had shown them so much kindness. However, as if under a spell, each goose quickly quietened down, as though they could feel the waves of barely controlled emotions that rolled off from their lady. She walked straight to the gate and opened it wide.

"Go," she ordered them "go now and find a better home. I can't take care of you anymore."

The geese stared at her in mild confusion, but her proud stance told them what they couldn't comprehend with human words: gone was the gentle soul they had known and loved.

One by one the geese departed, each giving her feet a gentle peck before leaving. It was their way of saying goodbye and wishing her luck for whatever she had set her mind to do.

Next was the stable. Ella opened the doors wide and let each horse run free. She watched as the powerful animals galloped across the field, as free as they were meant to be, and a strong longing took hold of her heart. Soon she, too, would be free.

She grabbed a pile of hay and walked again into her once called home, setting it beneath the curtain on the large window by the door. She lighted a candle stick and stared at the pile of hay, doubting for only half a second, before dropping the candle stick on it. As expected, the hay caught fire quickly, and soon flames engulfed the curtain and started expanding around the living room.

She was now outside, watching her home being torn down by angry, red flames. Unexpectedly, she was suddenly emptied from all emotion, as if the flames had taken everything she was and flung it high in the sky, in a column of dark smoke, like incense to a God she didn't even know existed. Maybe during the following days she would feel the shock of what she had just done, but at the moment she couldn't help but feel a distant wave of relief. She had destroyed the only hold her stepmother had on her. She was free.

She turned around and knelt in front of her furry friends. The little mice stared at her helplessly if not confused.

"Don't worry little ones," she told them gently "go to the forest, you'll find plenty of shelter and food suited for you. I can't help you anymore." She looked at them a little sadden at the realization that perhaps she hadn't really helped them, in reality they had been the ones that had helped her. Without their furry little faces to brighten her days, she wouldn't have been able to endure as much torment as she had.

"You'll have a better fate than me," she murmured as she saw them skittering away into the field towards the forest. With the heat of the fire on her back and a blank perception about how the next days were going to be like, she braced herself with all the courage she could muster. It was time to create a whole new identity for herself.

Author's note:

Thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter! I haven't written in a while, so I'm a little rusty, hopefully this chapter made sense. Feel free to drop in a review :), any suggestions are always welcome.


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